Preserving The Legacy

"The Lives of Generations Yet Unborn Will Know His Words Rising on Wings of Flame, and Shout the Essence Through a Wreathed Horn, While History Weaves a Halo for His Name"

Ruby Altizer Roberts, Poet Laureate wrote these lines on Bhai Vir Singh’s 80th birthday. Time has proven them so right as Bhai Vir Singh has become an integral part of the heritage of Punjab. No aspect of Punjabi life has been left untouched from his influence. Popularly known as ‘Father of Modern Punjabi Literature’, Bhai Vir Singh was born on 5th December, 1872 in Katra Garba Singh, Amritsar. Coming from Multan, the family had been living in this holy city for two generations. His grandfather, Bhai Kahan Singh, was a very learned man and, besides being a practitioner of indigenous medicine, he was also a poet who wrote in Braj. He also collected and transcribed Sanskrit manuscripts. Bhai Kahan Singh laid the foundation of the family’s literary and scholarly heritage. His only son, Charan Singh was proficient in Sanskrit, Braj, English, Persian and Sikh texts. He learnt Ayurveda and western medicine, too. His major works include Sri Atal Parkash, Dasam Guru Charitra, Gurmat Sangeet Nirnaya (Musical Measures in Guru Granth Sahib), Sri Guru Granth Beora (Verse forms in Guru Granth Sahib). He also translated Shakuntala into Punjabi. Another great influence on Bhai Vir Singh’s life was his maternal grandfather, Giani Hazara Singh, who was a reputed man of letters.

Bhai Vir Singh was the eldest of Charan Singh’s family of six children. He was taught Persian, Urdu, Sanskrit and Sikh literature in early childhood. After his matriculation at the age of 19, he started taking keen interest in social and religious reforms.